Dental Electrode Assembly

Abstract

There is described an electrode assembly for passing electrical current through at least part of a tooth, the assembly comprising: an electrode holder; and a plurality of resilient projecting elements coupled to the holder, each element comprising one or more electrodes, the assembly being arranged in use such that when the assembly is positioned adjacent a tooth, the electrodes contact respective parts of at least one surface of the tooth. The assembly is preferably for use in A.C. impedance spectroscopy for caries detection and monitoring.

1 . An electrode assembly for passing electrical current through at least part of a tooth, the assembly comprising:
 an electrode holder; and   a plurality of resilient projecting elements coupled to the holder, each element comprising one or more electrodes, the assembly being arranged in use such that when the assembly is positioned adjacent a tooth, the electrodes contact respective parts of at least one surface of the tooth.   
     
     
         2 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a number of the electrodes in different elements are connected together electrically. 
     
     
         3 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more electrically insulating resilient elements positioned between the elements having the electrodes. 
     
     
         4 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein, when in use, the assembly is adapted such that the resilience of the elements biasses the electrodes against the at least one surface of the tooth. 
     
     
         5 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the elements project from the holder in substantially at least one direction. 
     
     
         6 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 4 , wherein the holder is adapted such that the elements project from the holder in substantially two, three, four or five directions. 
     
     
         7 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 6 , wherein each projection direction is in the direction of a respective tooth surface. 
     
     
         8 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the elements have different relative lengths. 
     
     
         9 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 8 , wherein the relative lengths are adapted so as to conform generally with the shape of the respective tooth surface they are intended to contact in use. 
     
     
         10 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each element having the electrodes, has two or more electrodes spaced upon its length for contacting the tooth at different locations upon the respective surface. 
     
     
         11 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 10 , wherein each electrode is arranged such that the part of the electrode that contacts the tooth is substantially a point contact. 
     
     
         12 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein each element that comprises the one or more electrodes is formed from an electrically conductive material such that the element is an electrode. 
     
     
         13 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the material is a conductive polymer. 
     
     
         14 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein each element comprising the one or more electrodes is formed from a material coated with an electrically conductive coating such that the element is an electrode. 
     
     
         15 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the coating is formed from gold, a gold alloy, carbon, stainless steel, titanium, multi-layers of these materials or a conductive paint. 
     
     
         16 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the material that is coated is nylon. 
     
     
         17 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the electrically conductive material is stainless steel. 
     
     
         18 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1  wherein an electrical connection to each element having the electrodes is provided using a respective conductive wire or track. 
     
     
         19 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the length of the elements lies in the range 0.5 millimetres to 10 millimetres. 
     
     
         20 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the thickness of the elements is in the range 50 to 500 micrometres. 
     
     
         21 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising a connector having contacts arranged in electrical communication with the electrodes, the connector being adapted to detachably couple electrically to a corresponding connector of a monitoring system. 
     
     
         22 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1  wherein the holder is formed having an elongate handle such that the holder may be grasped in use by a user so as to hold the electrodes in position in contact with the tooth. 
     
     
         23 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the holder is formed from an electrically insulating material. 
     
     
         24 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is adapted as a single-use disposable assembly. 
     
     
         25 . An electrode assembly according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more pads positioned to reduce or prevent contact between the gingiva with an electrode and/or the ingress of saliva between the electrodes. 
     
     
         26 . An assembly according to  claim 1 , wherein a number of the elements comprising the electrodes are separated from each other by one or more electrically insulating barriers which project from the holder. 
     
     
         27 . An assembly according to  claim 26 , wherein the barrier is a strip or plate. 
     
     
         28 . An assembly according to  claim 26  wherein first and second sets of elements project in a mutually opposed direction from a central electrically insulating barrier, such that the first and second sets are electrically insulated from each other, the assembly being arranged such that, when in use, the first and second sets contact respective first and second teeth. 
     
     
         29 . An assembly according to  claim 28 , wherein each element of the sets is an electrically conducting bristle, the bristles of each set each being connected electrically to all other elements in the respective set. 
     
     
         30 . An assembly according to  claim 28 , wherein the barrier is a substantially planar plate or strip. 
     
     
         31 . An assembly according to  claim 28 , wherein each set of elements is connected to a corresponding wire which runs along one side of the barrier. 
     
     
         32 . A system for monitoring the structure of a tooth comprising:
 an electrode assembly for passing electrical current through at least part of a tooth, the assembly comprising:
 an electrode holder; and 
 a plurality of resilient projecting elements coupled to the holder, each element comprising one or more electrodes, the assembly being arranged in use such that when the assembly is positioned adjacent a tooth, the electrodes contact respective parts of at least one surface of the tooth; and 
 a monitoring device adapted in use to pass an electrical current through at least one electrode of the assembly and at least a corresponding part of the tooth, and to monitor the electrical response of the circuit. 
   
     
     
         33 . A system according to  claim 32 , wherein the electrode and monitoring device comprise a unit which may be held in one hand. 
     
     
         34 . Use of an electrode assembly according to  claim 1  to pass electric current through at least part of a tooth in which the assembly is positioned adjacent to a tooth and the electrodes are contacted with respective parts of at least one surface of the tooth, an electric current is passed through the electrodes and the tooth, and the electrical response of the circuit is monitored.